Reversal
by Fain Oakenbringer
Summary: Draco and 'Mione, sitting in a tree, KISSING...wait that's not right. Is it? It is if Draco and Harry have accidentally taken a Potion that switches their personalities...
1. Nice? Draco Malfoy?

Chapter 1: Nice? Draco Malfoy?  
  
"Red, Longbottom, not green," Professor Snape said, shaking his head. "I clearly stated that you put in the unicorn hairs before you heat the cauldron again. Get your Potion right, Longbottom, or it'll be points from Gryffindor. Granger, if I see you whispering instructions in his ear it will be ten points."  
  
Draco Malfoy smirked. It was his trademark smirk. It always pleased him to see Longbottom quail under Professor Snape.  
  
Draco turned his attention to his Disappearing Potion. He had put out the fire a few minutes before and was now waiting for it to cool down. If he had done the Potion right whoever drank it would disappear for a few minutes. Professor Snape would know at a glance if it was right and if it was, Draco would probably earn a few points for Slytherin.  
  
Professor Snape stopped at Harry Potter's cauldron. His lip curled. Almost everyone knew that Snape loathed Harry and was always finding ways to get points off him. Harry was just putting in his unicorn hairs. Snape took five points from Gryffindor for being "too slow" and Draco's trademark sneer appeared on his face. Draco and Harry were arch-enemies; they had been since they had met on the train to Hogwarts, six years before.  
  
Presently Professor Snape stopped by Draco's cauldron. "Very good," he said. The potion was a fiery red. "Ten points to Slytherin, Malfoy."  
  
Draco gave a self-satisfied smirk. He was Professor Snape's favourite student. It was well-known that Snape favoured his own house, Slytherin, over the others and he also seemed to have taken a great liking towards Draco Malfoy.  
  
When the bell rang ten minutes later Draco kept all his things and walked to the Great Hall for dinner. His cronies, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle were on either side of him.  
  
Draco seated himself at the Slytherin table. Crabbe was on his left, Goyle on his right. Adrian Baddock, a Chaser on the Slytherin Quidditch team was seated opposite Draco. Terence Higgs was on Adrian's right. Terence was the reserve Seeker on the team. Draco himself was Slytherin Seeker and Quidditch captain.  
  
They had Shepherd's Pie for dinner. It was, Draco thought, very good. He noticed Terence looking a bit fidgety.  
  
"What's with you?" he asked.  
  
"He's trying to work up the nerve to ask a girl to take a walk with him on the grounds," Adrian answered for him. Adrian gave Terence a sideways glance. "He won't tell us who."  
  
Draco raised an eyebrow in interest. "Really? Come on, Terence, tell us, who?"  
  
Terence just shook his head and refused to tell them. Draco took some of his pumpkin juice and almost choked.  
  
"What is this?" He set the glass on the table.  
  
"Pumpkin juice?" Goyle asked.  
  
"No, it's---different." Draco felt a burning sensation in his throat. Then he started to feel sick.  
  
"Mine tastes just the same." Adrian said, looking at Draco closely. "You look a bit sick."  
  
"I'm going to be sick," Draco moaned. He got up from the table and stumbled to the boys' lavatory. There was someone there, leaning against one of the sinks. Draco took no heed of him and threw up at the nearest sink. It amazed him how he had managed not to throw up on the way to the lavatory.  
  
Draco straightened up. Then he noticed who the boy was. It was Harry Potter. He looked pale. He had probably been throwing up as well, Draco thought. It never occurred to Draco that Harry and him seemed to be the only students who had been sick after drinking their pumpkin juice.  
  
"Pumpkin juice not sitting well with you, either?" Harry asked, wiping his mouth with his sleeve. Disgusting, thought Draco.  
  
Draco ignored Harry. "Stupid house-elves. What did they put in the drink? When Father hears about this. . ." Draco exited the lavatory, muttering darkly. He made his way down to the dungeons and into the Slytherin common room. He found he had a headache, so he went to bed early.  
  
The next morning he woke up, all traces of a headache gone. When he went to the Slytherin common room he found Crabbe and Goyle already there, waiting for him. Draco nodded to them and they followed him out of the common room and into the Great Hall.  
  
Draco had turned to tell Crabbe something when someone bumped into him. It was that Gryffindor Mudblood with the camera. His name was Cole or something. He worshipped the ground Harry Potter stood on and Draco found him extremely annoying.  
  
"Sorry! I'm so sorry!" Cole said, his eyes wide with fear.  
  
"It's alright," Draco said automatically, and then he stopped dead in his tracks. "I mean. . ." What did you say that for? You were supposed to say, watch it, Creevey, or watch it, you filthy Mudblood, not it's alright! Are you a Slytherin or not? Are you a Malfoy? "Watch it, Mudblood." It lacked malice, Draco thought. It lacked Malfoy-ism. Fortunately Creevey had taken one look at him in terror and fled away. Well, it was Creevey. If it had been Granger she'd probably have laughed at him.  
  
Draco scowled at himself and sat down on the Slytherin table. He spotted the Dream Team, Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger entering the Great Hall. Harry looked sulky. They were going to pass him, he saw, and he already had a string of insults ready.  
  
"I've forgotten to bring a quill. Harry, can I borrow one of yours?" Ron asked.  
  
Draco opened his mouth, but nothing came out.  
  
Harry scowled. "No. I don't exist to give you things you're too forgetful to bring yourself."  
  
What's the matter with you? Draco's mind screamed at him. Say something! Insult them! Be a Malfoy!  
  
Harry's face turned into a surprised one. Nevertheless, he continued, "You're just plain lazy. Go back to the common room and get your quill, it's not like you don't have legs."  
  
Say something! Do it now!  
  
Ron looked shaken. "Um, okay, Harry. Hermione, can I---?"  
  
"Yeah, sure, Ron. I've got an extra quill." She looked at Harry with an odd look on her face.  
  
Dammit, Draco, you're too late! They've gone!  
  
Draco turned back to his cereal. Wait a minute. Did he just hear Harry Potter snapping at his best friend? Saint Potter, who would never do anything intentional to upset his friends, snapping at them for---as far as Draco could see, anyway---no reason? Maybe he wasn't such a Saint after all.  
  
After breakfast Draco went to the Transfiguration classroom, where they made complicated notes on transfiguring oneself into an animal. After that everyone had to turn his or her partner into an animal. By the end of the lesson no one had made any progress except Draco. Crabbe's head was half human, half bear. Professor McGonagall restored Crabbe's head with a wave of her wand. She seemed quite pleased with Draco. At the end of the lesson Professor McGonagall held them back, giving them heaps of homework.  
  
When Draco exited the class he found the sixth year Gryffindors waiting outside. Harry, Ron and Hermione seemed to be fighting.  
  
Draco swaggered over to them, which was not far as they were fourth in line. "Oh, are the Dream Team having problems?" he drawled. "Or is your little Love Triangle popping up again? I must say, Potter, I'd have thought you would have had batter taste---"  
  
Draco did not get any further. Harry Potter did something Draco would never have expected him to do; Harry punched him. In the nose.  
  
Draco staggered back, clutching his nose and howling in pain. Crabbe and Goyle cracked their knuckles menacingly.  
  
"You've broken my nose!" Draco cried. It hurt. A lot. It was also bleeding.  
  
"What's going on?" Professor McGonagall asked. "Mr. Malfoy, what happened to your nose?"  
  
"Potter broke my nose, Professor," Draco whimpered, seizing a chance to get Harry into trouble. Draco brought his hand away from his nose, revealing his bloody nose and hand.  
  
"Crabbe, Goyle, get Mr. Malfoy into the hospital wing," Professor McGonagall said. "Potter, that will be twenty points from Gryffindor and detention. There is no excuse for hitting like that."  
  
Ron and Hermione were too much in shock to argue.  
  
Madam Pomfrey fixed Draco up. However he still had a white plaster on his nose which made him look ridiculous. Draco missed all his lessons that day. When he finally emerged from the hospital wing it was dinnertime.  
  
Pansy Parkinson, with whom Draco was on-and-off dating, caught up with him as he walked to the Great Hall.  
  
"How are you?" she asked, noting the plaster on his nose. "Does it hurt much?"  
  
Normally Draco would have exaggerated his injury for more sympathy but his response surprised him. "No. I look ridiculous with this thing, though."  
  
"Oh, I think you look cute," Pansy said fondly.  
  
Draco rolled his eyes at that. Cute? Pansy was weird. She wasn't very intellectual. Either. Zabini Blaise was a bit too intellectual for him; besides, she was dead boring. Millicent Bulstrode was, well, Millicent. Goyle was interested in her, anyway. As for the rest of the girls, well, most of them were pretty enough, but they were Pansy's followers. They did everything she did.  
  
Draco seated himself at the Slytherin table. He was sitting with the Prefects as he had been made one a year ago. Crabbe and Goyle unsurprisingly were not Prefects. It still amazed Draco that both of them had managed to get into 6th year. Both of them had not even one O.W.L. (Ordinary Wizarding Level). As for Draco? He had twelve O.W.L.s, the most you could get---or so he thought. Hermione Granger had managed to get 13 O.W.L.s. Harry and Ron both had 10. Well, if he hadn't beaten Granger, at least he was better than Potter and Weasley. His father and mother had been delighted when he told them he had 12 O.W.L.s until they had found out Granger had 13. Honestly, there was no pleasing them.  
  
"Are you feeling---what happened to your nose?" Adrian---who, incidentally, was also Head Boy---asked.  
  
"Potter punched me," Draco replied sourly, scowling.  
  
"Not a Saint anymore, eh, Draco?" Crabbe sniggered.  
  
"Shut up," Draco snapped. To Adrian he said, "it wasn't what I'd normally expect Potter to do. Especially in front of a teacher." He shrugged. "At least Potter got twenty points off Gryffindor, and detention."  
  
What happened next happened so fast Draco didn't even have time to blink. There was a crash and suddenly Draco was covered head to toe in treacle pudding. Someone gasped; probably Pansy. It occurred to Draco that the crash had come from the top of his head because it was throbbing. His next thought who, and then why. The problem was, his mouth didn't seem to be working.  
  
"Harry Potter," came the cold voice of Professor Snape. "Tut tut. What have you done?"  
  
"Explain yourself," Professor McGonagall said.  
  
"I, um, I mean, er," Harry stammered.  
  
"I think it's quite obvious," Draco said in a shaken voice, finding it at last. "He dropped pudding on me."  
  
"I don't know why." Harry trailed off.  
  
"Harry and Draco, er, despise each other, Professors," Adrian said.  
  
That's an understatement, Draco thought. "Potter dropped the plate on me too."  
  
"Ouch," Terence Higgs commented. "So that explains the crash and the broken glass." He had probably just arrived for dinner. "And Draco covered in pudding," he grinned.  
  
"I'm sticky, my head hurts, my nose hurts and I'm going to go hungry," Draco declared, getting up. "I hope you're happy, Potter."  
  
"So do I," Professor McGonagall said. That's another twenty points you've lost for Gryffindor."  
  
:: Chapter 2 up soon, guys, I just need to type it and proof-read it :: :: please review, it would mean a lot to me :: 


	2. She's A Mudblood!

Chapter 2  
  
It had been a week since Harry had broken Draco's nose; an agonizing, torturous week in Draco's opinion. Why? The broken nose had seemed to mark the beginning of Draco being nice. Nice! Draco did not want to be nice. He was mean. Yet, without knowing why, without knowing how, without even wanting to, he was nice. He was polite to Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws and Gryffindors and he did not bully them. It was torture. He wanted to make them miserable, but his mouth and body did not want to obey. He would ask his body to do something and it would promptly do the opposite.  
  
Another baffling point was Harry Potter. He had suddenly turned mean, very mean. He bullied people, used them, was rude, and, well, hardly a saint. Harry also didn't seem to realize how to choose the right time to create havoc, which always led to points taken off Gryffindor. All this would have suited Draco just fine if Harry hadn't started to humiliate him. He had missed meals twice, been to the hospital wing once and the worst, to him, was being slapped in front of Gryffindors and Slytherins. He didn't know why Harry had slapped him. Draco hadn't been insulting Harry, he had only been walking past.  
  
Draco allowed himself a half-smile as he pulled open the door to Arithmancy class. At least here Potter could not touch him; he was high up in Professor Trelawny's Divination class. Draco had not bothered to take Divination. He much preferred Arithmancy, which was one of his favourite subjects. Potions was another of his favourite classes.  
  
Draco seated himself in the front row. It was only after he had sat down that he realized Hermione Granger was beside him on another desk. However he could not get up and change his place as Professor Vector came in at that moment. Hermione was alone. She was the only Gryffindor sixth year taking Arithmancy. This year, as opposed to the last, all the houses were taking Arithmancy together. Ravenclaw made up the majority of the class, with Hufflepuffs and Slytherins each with five students taking the subject. As for Divination, the class was split into two, with the Gryffindors and Slytherins taking Divination together. Millicent Bulstrode had told Draco that Professor Trelawny kept predicting Harry's death, something Draco found hilarious.  
  
Half an hour later, the class was busy doing some questions set by Professor Vector. It was complicated and Draco was a little bit confused, but he had managed to get through half of it. Beside him he could hear Goyle counting from 1 to 10.  
  
"Oh!" Draco heard a voice on his left exclaim. It was Hermione. She had dropped her quill.  
  
Without thinking, Draco bent down and picked up her quill. It was pretty, he thought. Not expensive, but pretty. He passed the quill back to her and as their fingers touched he felt a jolt of electricity.  
  
Hermione looked at him, too surprised to say "thank you".  
  
And suddenly Draco realized that he had passed a quill to Hermione. A Mudblood. No, he corrected himself, not a Mudblood, there's nothing wrong with being Muggle-born---wait a minute. Did he just say---no, thought--- that there was nothing wrong with being Muggle-born? Muggle-borns were scum, they were---even as he told himself this a voice in his head was telling him that he had never even known a Muggle-born properly before and he couldn't judge them.  
  
With these conflicting thoughts in his head Draco turned back to his work, but now he could not concentrate. He was also uncomfortably aware that a pink tinge had appeared in his cheeks and that Hermione was now staring at him.  
  
Hermione, who soon realized what she was doing, looked quickly down to her Arithmancy work. There was an ugly black inkblot on her roll of parchment. Hermione reached for her wand to get rid of the ink stain. As she did so she accidentally tore the parchment.  
  
"Oh, bother," she muttered, looking at the big tear.  
  
"What's that?" Draco said jerkily as his head shot up from his desk.  
  
"My parchment's torn," Hermione said. She knew that she could Spellotape it but to her at least, it would not be neat.  
  
"Oh." Draco was silent for a moment. "You could Spellotape it." His voice was without malice, startling even Draco.  
  
Hermione stared at him for a moment. "I suppose I could," she said slowly. "It's just that it will look ugly, if you know what I mean." Hermione was sure Draco didn't, but his response surprised her. It surprised himself, as well.  
  
Draco's face broke into a smile. "Yeah, I do. It's not nice. I like a clean piece of parchment." He took out a fresh roll of parchment. "Here. Take this." He put the roll on Hermione's desk.  
  
"Thank---thank you," Hermione said, startled and surprised. First Draco had picked up her quill, then he had actually talked to her in a civilized way and after that he had given her his last piece of parchment. Very un-Malfoy- ish, she thought.  
  
Draco was thinking the exact same thing. What are you doing? he screamed at himself. You're not supposed to associate yourself with Mudbloods! Remember Father's always said Mudbloods are vile, they're beneath us, they're not even supposed to be in Hogwarts---that's what Father said, haven't you got your own opinions? another voice yelled at him. Admit it, Draco, you enjoyed that little conversation---if you can call it a conversation. She's a Mudblood! The first voice yelled. Scum! Plus she beat you in every exam! A filthy Mudblood beat you! What do you say to that? She deserved it, Draco thought. She worked hard. Oh, great, I can't believe I'm thinking this.  
  
Okay, Draco, think. So she's Muggle-born. She seems quite nice. She was also, he realized with a jolt, rather pretty. He had never noticed it before. He had always been to busy insulting her, which wasn't fair, he realized now. He had never gotten to know her. He had just slammed her because she was Muggle-born. Besides, she could hardly be labelled as incompetent. She was one of the best witches Draco had ever met.  
  
Maybe Muggle-borns aren't that bad, if you look at it that way, Draco mused. But that Creevey really was a disgrace to wizards. Five years and he was still following Harry Potter around like a sick puppy dog. It was disgusting. Draco wouldn't have liked it even if Creevey had started following him around, and that was saying something.  
  
The bell rang and Draco exited the class with Crabbe and Goyle on either side of him. They had not mentioned anything about Draco being nice to Hermione. They were probably too thick to realize what had happened. Really, Draco thought, shaking his head. He needed to get rid of the two oafs, all they did was snigger at things Draco said. You couldn't have an intelligent conversation with them. They had been fine for the first few years at Hogwarts. They protected Draco and made him feel important. Now, however, Draco was longing for more intelligent social interaction.  
  
Draco spotted Andy Brigand and increased his pace. Andy was a new student. Hogwarts did not have very many new students who were not in first year. Andy's parents had moved from America to England, and Andy had arrived at Hogwarts only three days ago. He was a Slytherin. Draco liked Andy a lot. A week ago, however, Draco would have thought him a disgrace to Slytherin. Andy did not see what was wrong with Muggle-borns and didn't mind making friends with them. He was also fascinated by Muggle life and therefore had taken Muggle Studies. Draco hadn't bothered. The only reason he would take Muggle Studies was so that he could make sure he didn't look anywhere near a Muggle.  
  
"How was Divination?" Draco asked.  
  
Andy groaned. "Boring and silly. The Professor's really kinky. And she keeps predicting Harry Potter's death. We did something on appearances today. Professor Trelawny found a non-existing mole on Harry, which supposedly means he has a short life. I've also got tons of homework. How about you?"  
  
"Oh, Professor Vector hardly gave us any and I finished mine in class, anyway. Well, almost finished," Draco corrected himself. He probably would have finished it if Hermione had not dropped her quill, he thought rather sourly---until he realized that he had actually enjoyed the exchange.  
  
"Speaking of Harry, what's he doing to that round-faced boy?" Andy asked, stopping in his tracks to watch.  
  
"That's Neville Longbottom," Draco said. Whatever insults he had in mind, they were erased immediately at the scene that was greeting him. It was so unlike Harry Potter that he was speechless with shock.  
  
Harry had Neville up by the scruff of his neck. He was actually snarling at Neville, something Draco never dreamed he would see Harry do. He seemed to be demanding something. Neville was cowering. Ron and Hermione seemed to be in shock.  
  
Involuntarily Draco moved towards the pair. As he came closer he heard what Harry was saying---or rather, snarling. It seemed Harry had asked Neville to do something and Neville had refused.  
  
Neville's eyes were wide open with shock. His mouth was moving wordlessly as Harry's wrath poured over him. With a jolt, Draco saw the tip of Harry's wand poised over Neville's stomach. Harry wanted to do something, Draco knew. Hex Neville or something. It made him sick to the stomach. Sure, Draco liked bullying people, especially Neville, but he would never have done something like this. So Neville refused. That didn't give you the ticket to terrorize him. The guy was going to faint any second soon, Draco saw.  
  
Without thinking, only knowing that he could not let Harry do it, Draco whipped out his wand, pointed it at Harry and cried, "Expelliarmus !"  
  
Harry was slammed against the wall, knocking his glasses askew. Harry's wand flew into Draco's hand and Draco tossed it to Andy, who fingered it carefully. Neville sank down onto the floor, shivering. Ron recovered enough to say "Harry!" before falling silent again.  
  
"What's going on?" Professor Flitwick squeaked, appearing from his classroom. "No magic in the hallways."  
  
"Harry was bullying Neville, sir," Andy spoke up quickly. "I think he was going to hex Neville or something. Draco disarmed Harry with the best of interests. He, um, didn't want Neville hurt." Andy knew this was a lie. He knew Draco usually bullied people, something Andy himself did from time to time, but he had to admit Harry had gone a bit far.  
  
"I think Longbottom has to see Madam Pomfrey," Draco said, with half a glance at Professor Flitwick.  
  
"I'll take you, Neville," Hermione immediately said, snapping out of her state.  
  
"Yeah, me too," Ron said.  
  
Hermione and Ron led Neville to the hospital wing. When they had turned the corner Professor Flitwick turned to Harry.  
  
"Now, Mr. Potter," he said severely. "Bullying is very serious and I cannot tolerate that. Thirty points from Gryffindor and detention."  
  
* * *  
  
Draco entered the library that same evening, his mind whirling with the events of the day and, to a lesser extent, the week. First of all, Draco had done something nice to both Hermione and Neville. Secondly, Harry was so mean to both enemies and friends, even his best friends. Even a week ago Draco would not have done something like what Harry had done to Neville. Even a week ago.Draco repeated the phrase.  
  
"It's odd," he said aloud to Andy. "Isn't it, that both Harry Potter and me seemed to have changed our personality at the same time? I've been nice since last week and Harry's been mean since then as well."  
  
"Definitely weird," Andy agreed. "Maybe someone put a spell on you or something."  
  
"No, it can't be," Draco mused, taking a seat. "I would've known. Besides, I don't think you can do that. Put a spell on somebody and change his personality."  
  
"Do you remember anything odd about last week?" Andy asked.  
  
"No." Draco thought back to the week before. Besides suddenly being nice Draco could not remember anything odd. Oh, wait, he could. "My pumpkin juice. It tasted horrible! Like a burning sensation down your throat. I got sick after that."  
  
"That could be it!" Andy said excitedly, forgetting to keep his voice down. Madam Pince, the school librarian, gave him a reproving glare and he lowered his voice. "Someone must have slipped a Potion down your drink."  
  
Draco was doubtful. "I don't know." He recalled seeing Harry in the toilet as well, and told Andy so. "He asked me if the pumpkin juice wasn't sitting well with me, too. That could be it."  
  
"It has to be, it fits! Both of you got it. The next day you change personalities. It was the next day, right?"  
  
Draco nodded. "Can you do that? Change someone's personality with a potion?"  
  
"Yeah, I read it in a book once. I don't get why you would want to do that, though."  
  
Draco shrugged. "Probably someone's idea of a sick joke." A thought occurred to Draco that almost paralyzed him. "It can be reversed, can't it? I don't want to stay nice forever!"  
  
"I don't know. I guess so. We could look in one of the books here," Andy waved a hand carelessly over the library. "I think it will be in the Restricted Section, though."  
  
"Okay, we've narrowed it down, but there are still hundred of books in the Restricted Section."  
  
"I think I remember the name of the book, but it was only mentioned in passing, though. I can't really remember." Andy got up. "You never know, they might have an in-depth explanation on the potion. I didn't really pay attention when I read it. We might as well start looking now. Where did you say Crabbe and Goyle were?"  
  
"Oh, down in the school kitchens, I suppose," Draco said carelessly. "Getting as much food as they can." Draco slapped a hand to his forehead. "We need a signed note from a teacher to look in one of those books! How are we going to get one?"  
  
"Make up a story," Andy suggested.  
  
In the end, they decided to approach Professor Snape. Draco would ask Snape if you could change a person's personality with a potion during their next Potions class. Then he would see how it went from there.  
  
Sure enough, on Monday, Draco's hand went into the air.  
  
"Professor, I was wondering if you could change a person's personality with a potion." If Snape said no, Draco would be back to square one, with no idea what had happened to him.  
  
Professor Snape studied Draco closely. "Believe it or not, yes, you can. It is very complex."  
  
"How does it work? How does it change your personality?" To Draco's surprise, Harry had spoken.  
  
"Enough," Professor Snape snapped. "Do not even consider making it. You would be expelled from this school."  
  
Draco's heart sank. If Professor Snape wouldn't even tell them how a person was changed by it..  
  
Professor Snape stopped by Draco and Andy's cauldron on the pretense of checking their potion. Lowering his voice so that only Draco and Andy could hear, he said, "If you must know about it, see me after the lesson."  
  
Draco's heart leaped. Yes! Professor Snape was going to tell him! Oh, he frowned. Wait. Snape would want Draco to tell him why he wanted to know about it. He supposed it wouldn't hurt to tell him what he and Andy had guessed. They couldn't get into any trouble or anything.  
  
At the end of the lesson Draco and Andy made sure they were the last to finish cleaning up. Draco had told Crabbe and Goyle to go to the Great Hall without him for lunch.  
  
"Professor, how does the potion change your personality?" Draco asked.  
  
Professor Snape was silent for a moment, studying both Draco and Andy, organizing his thoughts. "The Antithesis Potion is very potent. It changes your personality, and, as the name suggests, reverses a person's personality. Let's say you have an honest, responsible boy. Give him a bit of the Potion and he will become unreliable and a liar within an hour."  
  
"That's why I'm so nice all of a sudden," Draco accidentally said aloud.  
  
"What did you say?" Professor Snape asked sharply.  
  
"I---well, about a week ago. . ." Draco hesitated. Should he tell Professor Snape?  
  
"Yes?" Snape prompted.  
  
Draco decided he would. He trusted Professor Snape and, if anything, Snape would be able to help him. Draco told him everything that had happened, including Harry's sudden meanness. It only occurred to him after he had told Snape everything that he might not believe him. To his surprise, Draco told Snape so. "I know it's hard to believe, but I'm telling the truth." Professor Snape was looking very grave. "I do believe you. First, however, we need to find out that you really did take that potion." Snape questioned Draco for a long time.  
  
"I believe you did take it," Snape said thoughtfully.  
  
"Professor, I have a question." It was a question Draco had been dying to ask, but so far had gone unspoken. "Is there a cure? A potion to reverse the effects? Make me, well, me again?  
  
  
  
::: chapter 3 up very soon :::: 


	3. You're with WHO? ?

:: Thanks for the reviews, it really means a lot to me : ) : P  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 3---You're With WHO??  
  
  
  
"Draco, you have to understand this. The Antithesis is a very new potion, discovered only last year. At this moment, there are a few potions that may reverse the effects, but, I am afraid, they are not very good. A witch was left with no memory and, another. . ." Snape paused. "He was left with paralysis."  
  
"I see," Draco said softly.  
  
"Whoever gave you the potion hasn't done a very good job of it, it seems to me," Professor Snape continued. "You told me you seem to have two conflicting voices, each telling you to do the opposite?" Draco nodded. "And sometimes you seem to be yourself?"  
  
"That was in the first few days."  
  
"Madam Pomfrey has a supply of the Mandrake Draught and only recently has the Draught been included in the ongoing studies to reverse the Potion. The study has not been concluded, but it seems to work in the early stages, about twenty-four hours after taking the Potion. The Potion you took does not seem to be as potent as it should be and the Mandrake Draught may cure you."  
  
"Really?" Draco could not believe it.  
  
"Don't get your hopes up too high. Come," Professor Snape got up. "Get Potter and we will go see Madam Pomfrey."  
  
"I'll go, shall I?" Andy asked, feeling he would not be wanted.  
  
"No, stay," Draco said. "Professor, Harry has turned very.violent."  
  
"Yes, I've seen. Perhaps we should keep him in the hospital wing."  
  
Professor Snape fetched Harry and brought him to the hospital wing. Draco, Andy and Professor McGonagall were already there. Professor Snape related what Draco had told him and then questioned Harry. Harry was sulky but to everyone's relief he answered Snape. At the end of it Snape was positive both Harry and Draco had taken the Antithesis Potion.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore will have to be informed, and the culprit expelled," Professor McGonagall said.  
  
"Might I suggest keeping Potter in the hospital wing and keeping this quiet?" Snape said quietly to Professor McGonagall. "Even from Potter's best friends, it would be best. Brigand already knows, but I think beyond him no one should."  
  
"I agree," Professor McGonagall said. "What about Malfoy?"  
  
"He does not seem to be. . .unstable."  
  
Harry had now taken to taunting Draco and Draco was doing his best to ignore it, though it was rather hard.  
  
A few minutes later both of them were given the Mandrake Draught. Draco drank his almost greedily. Harry refused to drink it and it was only after Draco and Andy had left that he finally took a sip. Harry, they had been told, would be staying in the hospital wing. They were to tell no one about what had happened.  
  
Although Draco had been told not to expect anything for a week, he woke up the next day wondering if he was back to normal. This illusion was almost immediately shattered when Draco found himself wondering if he should visit Harry. He was starting to feel thoroughly depressed when Andy reminded him that if the Draught was going to work it would show signs only after a week. This cheered him up a little.  
  
On the way to Arithmancy class that afternoon he heard Ron wondering out loud to Hermione where Harry was. He sounded a bit worried.  
  
Draco took his seat in Arithmancy. Hermione sat down on his left a moment later.  
  
Professor Vector entered the class and began to teach. They were doing a new topic that day which Draco found rather tricky. He managed to get the hang of it near the end of the lesson, to his relief. He stole a glance at Hermione. She seemed to be done. Draco took this opportunity to talk to her about something that had been on his mind for the past few days.  
  
"Hermione?" he asked apprehensively, not knowing how she would react.  
  
"Yes?" she looked up at Draco, surprise written all over her face. "What is it?" she said it softer than Draco had expected her to.  
  
"I'm---" Draco cleared his throat. "I'm really sorry about calling you a Mudblood and other disgusting names. I've realized that, well, being Muggle- born isn't a bad thing. I mean, for one thing, you're one of the best witches I've seen and rather sensible. Like the other day in Defense Against the Dark Arts. You're really bright, really smart, really good at magic." Draco felt himself turning red and he hated it. "From what I've seen, you seem very nice and a real loyal friend, even though Ron always seems ready to dump you and Harry does everything he says. Sorry. I know they're your best friends. The point is," Draco said quickly before he could embarrass himself further. "My calling you a Mudblood was plain rude and an unfounded accusation. And, um, congratulations on getting 13 O.W.L.s." Draco did not know why he had said that. It had just come out.  
  
"Oh, um, thank you," Hermione was taken aback; very much taken aback. She had never thought she would see the day when Draco Malfoy would apologize for something.  
  
"So, am I forgiven?" Draco had crossed his fingers under his desk. "I understand if I'm not. I really was a little git."  
  
Hermione forgave him at that. Draco sounded, to her, very sincere and very sorry. Maybe he's changed, she thought. Maybe he's a better person now.  
  
Both of them talked quietly until the end of Arithmancy, about everything under the sun. It was nice, Draco thought after Arithmancy. Hermione had the intellect Pansy did not have. Maybe he could catch up with her in the library and they could talk.  
  
Draco groaned inwardly, He was (and wanted to) mix with Gryffindors and Mud- --Muggle-borns, something he had promised himself he would never do. Well, it wasn't like Hermione was your average Muggle-born Gryffindor. She was different---somehow.  
  
* * *  
  
Hermione found herself looking forward to going to the library---well, more than she usually was. Draco was usually there and she found herself looking forward to talking to him. She shook her head. It was crazy. She was actually looking forward to seeing and talking to Draco Malfoy. Until a few days ago he had been the bane of her life.  
  
Hermione walked past the closed door of the hospital wing. The hospital wing had become a bit of a curiosity over the past few days because everyone was sure Harry Potter was there. Even Hermione and Ron were not sure. They had asked professor McGonagall about Harry but she had just said Harry was fine and would probably be back at his lessons in a week or two. It was maddening. They were his best friends and the teachers would not even tell them what had happened to Harry.  
  
"Hey, Hermione!"  
  
Hermione spun around. The speaker had been Ron.  
  
"Where were you?" he asked, catching up to her.  
  
"Library."  
  
"You've been spending a lot of time there. More than usual, I mean." Hermione did not answer. Ron gestured to the hospital wing. "Still closed, huh? Maybe Harry's been Petrified or something, we were crushing Mandrake roots during Herbology."  
  
Hermione laughed it off. "There's no Basilisk here, Ron, Harry killed it ages ago." She frowned suddenly. "Speaking of Harry, he's been acting very oddly. Before he, well, disappeared, I mean."  
  
"Yeah, how about Neville ending up in the hospital wing?" Ron responded, as he rounded a corner. "And dropping food on Malfoy! Seriously, though, what Harry did to Neville was---"  
  
"Inhuman and disgusting," Hermione finished for him. "It wasn't Harry at all. It wasn't even Dra---Malfoy."  
  
Ron shook his head, climbing the stairs. "It's like his personality just got warped or something and he became evil Harry."  
  
Something Ron said rang a bell in Hermione's head, but what it was she did not know until they were in the Gryffindor common room.  
  
"Oh! Ron, remember in potions Dra---Malfoy asked Professor Snape about a potion to change your personality? Snape said yes, there was such a thing and Harry seemed really interested. . .I'm sure I know what potion Snape was talking about. . .but Harry couldn't have taken it. Snape said it's really complex. . ."  
  
"Probably so we wouldn't try and make it," Ron said. "Strawberry tart," he said to the Fat Lady, and the portrait hole opened.  
  
"No," Hermione frowned. "I don't think so. Ron, I think he was talking about the Antithesis Potion."  
  
"The what?"  
  
"The Antithesis potion." Hermione took a seat and Ron did the same. "It's a new potion and very dangerous. There's no cure. It's also really powerful and the effects either last for a very long time or it's permanent."  
  
Ron was flabbergasted. "What? But, Harry, if he's taken it. . ."  
  
"It would explain why he was mean all of a sudden," Hermione said. She bit her lip. "Oh, I really hope he didn't take it."  
  
Ron snapped his fingers as an idea occurred to him. "Maybe that's why Harry's in the hospital wing! Dumbledore's trying to cure him."  
  
"Why keep him there, though?"  
  
"Well, he wasn't exactly very, well, you know---" Ron lowered his voice. "Stable. I mean, what he did to Neville, and remember Seamus and Dean? That was a rotten trick to play on them. Really rotten. I don't think even Malfoy would have done a thing like---" Ron stopped suddenly.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Well," he said slowly. "If Harry took the potion and he's mean, what if Malfoy took the potion too, and became all nice?"  
  
"No way," Hermione said vehemently.  
  
"Well, think about it, Hermione! Malfoy's really nice all of a sudden, everyone's seen that. Oh, and remember he disarmed Harry while he was threatening Neville? He hasn't teased or bullied any of us since, well, since Harry's been acting oddly."  
  
"No, it can't be," Hermione said. "He was really sincere when he apologized to me---"  
  
"He what? He apologized to you? How come---how come you never told me?" Ron demanded.  
  
"And he lent me his quill and gave me some parchment," Hermione went red. "He's actually really nice to talk to."  
  
"You're talking to him?" Ron was almost speechless with shock. "He apologized to you and you accepted it? You do know this is Malfoy we're talking about."  
  
"He was really sincere, he really was! And, Draco actually is rather---" Hermione did not finish.  
  
Ron groaned loudly. "You're even on first name terms! Hermione, you've got to see through this, you've got to! The only reason Malfoy is nice to you is because he's under the influence of the potion! It's not really him. It's like Harry, look how mean he is---"  
  
"Exactly! Everyone has a good and bad side, Ron! That's Harry's bad side and this is Draco's good side! It's just that Harry's good side prevails a lot more than the other---"  
  
"And Malfoy? I suppose you're going to say he's got a good heart inside him somewhere, is that it? He doesn't, Hermione, he's an evil little git---"  
  
"He's not !" Hermione said shrilly. She got up and stomped up to the girls' dormitories, found hers and slammed the door behind her. She leaned against the closed door, her heart beating rapidly.  
  
She had just defended Draco Malfoy. Who, until now, had been slimy idiotic Draco Malfoy and also a very stupid git. Until now. Now she saw him as nice, sweet and a different person.  
  
A different person. She did not want to believe that Draco had taken the potion. She wanted to believe that he had changed, realized the error of his ways. Become the boy she had come to know.  
  
He was sincere, she tried to convince herself. Really sincere. But Harry had been really mean too. It had looked like he had actually enjoyed being mean! The thought made her shiver.  
  
Ron had a point, she had to admit. It was logical. She did not want to believe it. But she had to find out if he had taken the potion. If he had, then. . .she sighed. It was too bad.  
  
* * *  
  
Draco wandered around the bookshelves aimlessly. The title of an old library book jumped out at him.  
  
"Executions of the Seventeenth Century," Draco read. He raised his eyebrows. "Sounds interesting." He knew for a fact---his father had told him---that seventeenth century executions had been utterly inhuman and, in Draco's opinion, made for a good read. He had been meaning to read up on it but had never got round to it.  
  
Draco sat down at a table and opened the book. There was a disgusting picture of a mutilated---something. It looked like at had once been a human. Draco smiled to himself. It looked like the book was going to be a really good read. He flipped the pages. Yes, loads of pictures. I'll borrow the book, Draco decided as he began to read.  
  
He was so engrossed in the book he hardly noticed someone sit down beside him. He was tempted to tell that person to bugger off, but he figured Hermione could sit down on the other side. Besides, the book was far too interesting than to tell someone to go away.  
  
"Hi, Draco."  
  
"Wha---oh! Hi," Draco said, realizing the speaker was Hermione. Was it just him, or did she seem just a little bit colder than usual?  
  
"What are you reading?" she asked.  
  
"Executions of the Seventeenth Century," he said proudly. "Really interesting. I don't think you'll like it, though."  
  
Hermione eyed one of the pictures. "Definitely not. That's disgusting!"  
  
Draco shrugged. "Well, for you. I find it fascinating." He wanted to tell her it was very nice, but didn't. This pleased him. A week had passed since taking the Mandrake Draught and he was starting to think a bit like himself again.  
  
"I need to ask you something," Hermione said seriously. "Did you take the Antithesis Potion? Did Harry?"  
  
Draco looked at her with considerable surprise. "How do you know about the Potion?"  
  
"I read about it." Hermione bit her lip. "You took it, didn't you? And Harry? That's why you're so nice all of a sudden and Harry's so mean, isn't it?"  
  
Draco hesitated. He wasn't to tell anybody, but she knew a lot already. Besides, she had a right to know. She was Harry's best friend. "Someone slipped the Potion into our pumpkin juice. I don't know who. Harry's in the hospital wing. The Professors deemed him, well, a little unstable and decided to keep him there. We're taking the Mandrake Draught to try and cure us."  
  
"Does it work?"  
  
Draco hesitated again. "I don't know." It wasn't exactly a lie; he wasn't sure the Draught was working.  
  
"So, apologizing to me the other day, and all those nice things you did, they weren't really you?" Hermione asked softly.  
  
"What? No, I mean yes, I mean, no it wasn't me but the apology was real. I meant it, I really did. I don't think you're a Mudblood, I really don't," Draco said desperately.  
  
"How do I know you're not lying?"  
  
"I'm not, I swear," Draco said.  
  
"You know what I mean. How do I know you're being you or just being nice?"  
  
Draco fell silent. He didn't know himself.  
  
"It's not really you, is it?" Hermione had tears in her eyes. "I've enjoyed your company and our talks but. . .I can't talk to you anymore. I can't talk to a false personality. Goodbye."  
  
And before Draco could say anything, Hermione got up and left the library.  
  
  
  
  
  
:: Chapter 4 will be up after I type it ::: Hermione's kind of emotional here, but. . .hmmm. She's a girl? She has the right to be emotional and teary? Next chapter Draco finds out who gave him the Potion 


	4. And The Culprit Is

Chapter 4---And The Culprit Is. . .  
  
  
  
Draco was picking at his food at dinner three days after Hermione had walked out on him in the library. He was feeling distinctly depressed. The Mandrake Draught wasn't working as well as he'd thought it would and he missed Hermione. It was absurd. He'd never thought he would ever miss that Muggle-born.  
  
"Cheer up," Andy said. "Things could be worse."  
  
"Worse than being all nice and missing Hermione?" Draco snorted.  
  
"Well, let's see. . ." Andy cast around for something. "You could be missing Harry, or you could be lending Colin Creevey stuff---"  
  
"Oh, that's his name, is it? I always thought it was Cole, not that I care." Draco shuddered. "Urgh. That's kid needs to get a life."  
  
"Or he could be Harry's biographer, doing his life story." Andy pretended to be flipping pages of a book. "Harry eating a sausage. Harry writing. Harry yelling at me. Harry peeing. . ." Draco cracked up. Andy had a real knack for getting people to laugh, even when they were feeling at their lowest.  
  
Draco finished his dinner and then he and Andy went down to the Slytherin common room with Crabbe and Goyle behind them. Draco had pitied their evident lack of acquaintances and was keeping them, well, to do his bidding and protect him. Without him they wouldn't serve any purpose and, besides, being with Draco kept Millicent Bulstrode interested in Goyle, whom she was starting to call Greggykins. It was enough to make Draco throw up.  
  
The Slytherin common room wasn't a very cheery place, but to Draco it was rather homey and he liked it. The common room was dimly lit, with green lights casting a ghostly light on their faces.  
  
Draco seated himself on the sofa that was always left empty for him and gestured to Crabbe and Goyle to sit down. Andy suggested a game of Exploding Snap and Draco got Goyle to get his pack.  
  
Goyle came back with a confused expression on his face. He was holding Draco's pack of cards and what looked like a spare piece of parchment.  
  
"I found this on your bed," he grunted, giving the piece of parchment to Draco.  
  
Draco took the piece of parchment and started to read, wondering what it was all about. As he read his eyes grew wider and wider until finally his jaw dropped. The effect was that of a goldfish in mid-breath.  
  
"What is it?" Andy asked.  
  
"A confession. Listen to this." Draco read out the note to Andy.  
  
"Wow," was all Andy could say after Draco had finished. "Who wrote it?"  
  
"There was no name." Draco's mind was churning as he reread the note. " 'You saw me at the table the night you took it. I'm not Adrian, but you talked to me. ' " Who had he talked to that night? Adrian, that was clear. What had they been talking about? Oh, right, Terence had wanted to ask a girl something. Then he had drunk the Potion, which had been slipped, into his drink. After that he had snapped at Goyle and thrown up in the bathroom. It couldn't be Goyle. He was too thick. That left Terence. It could have been Adrian, too, however. If whoever had written the note had been telling the truth about talking to him or her at the table. Draco shook his head and sighed. Mind-boggling. Maybe he should sleep on it and see if he had a better idea the next day.  
  
"What's the person in the letter talking about?" Crabbe asked.  
  
"Oh, nothing important," Draco said dismissively.  
  
"We want to know," Goyle said. "Who wrote it?"  
  
Draco suddenly lost his patience. "Oh, just bugger off, will you? You're too thick to understand and besides, I just said I don't know who wrote it, don't' you listen? Honestly, you two are so slow."  
  
Goyle got up. He was seething. "All right, then. I'm too slow for you? Then maybe I don't be your friend, right Crabbe?"  
  
"Right, Goyle."  
  
Then turning, both of them stalked off.  
  
Draco stared at them in shock.  
  
"Oh, well, you needed to get rid of them, anyway," Andy said.  
  
"Yeah." Draco watched them attempt to play wizard's chess. The set seemed to be Zabini Blaise's. "I just never thought they'd do that."  
  
Andy shrugged. "People can be surprising sometimes."  
  
The next day Draco received another note from the person who had slipped him the Potion. It went as follows:  
  
  
  
"How do you like being good? Enjoy being sickeningly nice all the time? Don't worry, the effects are permanent. You might be wondering about Harry Potter. I slipped him the Potion, too, although I had just chosen a random goblet from the Gryffindor table. As for you, though, I made sure you would get it.  
  
You're probably wondering if that note I put on your bed is the truth. It is. I'm not Adrian."  
  
  
  
Draco read as the writer gave an exact account of the conversation on the Slytherin table. At the end of it Draco was convinced the writer was telling the truth. The only problem was who had done it.  
  
"It's either Terence or Adrian," Draco said aloud. "Adrian could have written that to throw off suspicion."  
  
"Why would anyone be stupid enough to write a note like that?" Andy shook his head. "Unless he was showing off, boasting about what he had done. Well, you know what they say. Pride brings about the downfall of the criminal. He's just dying to tell everyone."  
  
"What do you think I should do?"  
  
"Well, I don't know about you, but I'd want payback. Taking your.condition.into account, I'd say you don't want to make his life miserable, do you?"  
  
Draco shook his head. Andy sighed. "Damn. I got some really good stuff up my sleeve. You sure you don't want payback?"  
  
Draco smiled thinly. "No thanks. I think I'll tell Dumbledore about the two notes. He'll know what to do."  
  
Andy held out both his hands. "Hey, it's your call. I still say you're wasting a good opportunity to make somebody's life a living hell."  
  
After breakfast Draco went to see Dumbledore. He told him about the two notes and the possibility, if the writer was to be taken at his word, of the writer being either Terence or Adrian. Dumbledore promised to do what he could and Draco left with his heart considerably lighter.  
  
"So how'd it go?" Andy asked after Draco took his seat in Transfiguration class.  
  
Draco shrugged. "He'll look into it."  
  
"That's it? What about the guy who gave you the Potion?"  
  
"He'll be expelled, I suppose."  
  
Andy shook his head. "Pity."  
  
"Yeah, well, right now I'm much more interested in figuring out how to transfigure this raccoon." Draco waved his wand. "Ivana volate." The raccoon turned into a gecko.  
  
"Oh, very good, Mr. Malfoy," Professor McGonagall said approvingly. "Perhaps now you might try transfiguring yourself. Five points to Slytherin." The class had in actual fact already started transfiguring themselves but McGonagall had found the class was not ready. She had taken the class back one step. "I want all of you to have succeeded in turning your animal into something else by the end of this lesson. You're far enough behind as it is."  
  
To Andy's relief, he managed to transfigure his millipede. The rest of the class was not so lucky. Those who had not managed to transfigure their animals had received detention. It looked like Professor McGonagall was in a foul mood that morning.  
  
When Draco exited the class he avoided Hermione's eye. Hermione was probably avoiding his eye as well, Draco didn't know. In any case he had not stolen a single glance at her as he walked past the line of Gryffindors.  
  
After History of Magic Draco went up to the hospital wing to drink some Mandrake Draught. For once Harry said "hi" to him, but Draco told him to "shut the hell up". Harry looked so hurt by this that Draco finally relented and asked him how everything was. However Harry ignored the comment and insulted Draco's mother instead.  
  
A pink tinge appeared in Draco's cheeks. "Don't you dare insult my mother."  
  
"You insult Ron's just as freely," Harry retorted. "How do you like it?"  
  
Before he knew it Draco had whipped out his wand, pointed it at Harry and said, "Olate asendale !" Harry flew up and landed in a heap on the hospital wing floor.  
  
Draco put his wand back in his pocket. Ron's mother was fat. It was a fact. He just liked pointing it out to him. And his own mother was not anorexic, whatever that was.  
  
"Your parents don't really love you, do they?" Harry continued as if nothing had happened. "They just buy you gifts to make sure you're happy. They don't really want you there---"  
  
Draco lost it. He had never felt so angry in his entire life. He wanted to kill Harry then and there, but, since he didn't know how to do it by magic, he did the next best thing; Draco jumped on top of Harry and started to strangle him.  
  
Harry did not think Draco would be that strong. Why, he doesn't need Crabbe and Goyle to protect him, Harry thought, before a more pressing issue came to mind. He needed air. Draco was blocking his air supply. He choked and clawed empty air.  
  
Draco may have heard someone asking him to stop; he did not know. All he knew was that he was in a rage and the target of that was Harry Potter. The pounding in his ears grew louder as he watched Harry's face got redder and redder and finally blue.  
  
Then someone pushed Draco off Harry. Draco landed and bumped his head on one of the beds. He remembered seeing stars before being pulled roughly to his feet.  
  
"What is the meaning of this?"  
  
Draco did not know who the speaker was. Somehow he could not recognize the voice. He supposed it must be Professor McGonagall.  
  
"Ha---" Draco stopped. He was still a bit out of it, but he was so angry his whole body was shaking. "Harry---he insulted my parents, Professor," Draco said as calmly as he could, knowing it hadn't even come close to calm.  
  
"Is that true?" Professor McGonagall asked Harry sharply. Harry nodded, still massaging his neck.  
  
"I don't know what came over me," Harry said. "I don't usually---"  
  
"Yeah, well, it hurt, Potter," Draco said bitterly. "It hurt a lot." Draco spun around and stalked out of the hosp ital wing. Harry did not know it, but he had hit a chord. A very sensitive one, concerning Draco's father. Sometimes his father was very loving. Most of the time it was like Draco wasn't even there, or if he was, Draco's main use was to entertain important people so that the Malfoy family's gold pile would mount higher. Then his father would buy him some expensive toys, shower him with affection and go all cold again.  
  
Draco was so immersed in his own thoughts that he didn't notice Justin Finch-Fletchley rounding the corner. Both of them collided.  
  
"Watch it," Draco snarled at Justin. "I see enough Mudbloods everywhere, I don't need them touching me as well."  
  
"Well, sorry," Justin said. "Maybe you should look where you're going next time."  
  
"I was looking, Finch-Fletchley," Draco retorted. The hurt he had felt at Harry's words turned into anger and Draco took it out on Justin. Draco continued insulting Justin and only stopped when someone touched his shoulder.  
  
Draco turned and found himself face to face to Colin Creevey. "Get you filthy hands off me, Creevey."  
  
"Sorry," Colin squeaked, quaking under Draco's glare. "But---"  
  
"Honestly, am I a Mudblood magnet or something? First Granger, then you and now Creevey. What did you want, Mudblood?" Draco directed the question at Colin.  
  
"Prof---Professor Dumbledore wants---wants to see you," Colin stammered before scampering away.  
  
Draco watched Colin for a while, and then headed to Dumbledore's office. He paused at the entrance. What was the password again?  
  
"Fizzing. . .Fizzing. . .Fizzing Whizbee?" Draco said, trying to remember. The stone gargoyle did not move. "Oh, darn. Chocolate frog?"  
  
"Try Droobles' Best Blowing Gum," said a voice behind Draco, and the stone gargoyle jumped to the side, revealing an escalator going slowly upwards.  
  
"Thanks," Draco said as he jumped onto the stairs. The person behind him did the same.  
  
"You're welcome."  
  
Draco turned. It was Harry. Draco's eyes immediately narrowed and anger started to well up inside him. Before Draco could do anything, however, the escalator reached its destination and Draco tripped. Harry caught him and pulled him upright.  
  
"Take your hands off me," Draco snapped at Harry, pushing Harry away.  
  
"Look, I'm really sorry---"  
  
"I don't want to hear it," Draco cut Harry off.  
  
Draco knocked on the door and entered. Professor Dumbledore was at his desk, his phoenix, Fawkes, perched on his right. Portraits of all the past Headmasters were around the room, all of them sleeping peacefully.  
  
"You wanted to see me, Professor?" Draco asked tentatively.  
  
"Yes. Take a seat, both of you." Dumbledore gestured at two chairs in front of his desk. After both Draco and Harry had seated themselves Dumbledore told them he had questioned both Terence Higgs and Adrian Baddock. He concluded his story by saying that Terence had finally confessed to everything.  
  
"But.why would he do that?" Draco asked. "I didn't know he didn't like me."  
  
"Terence told me that, too," Dumbledore said. "Would you like to see?"  
  
"Yes," Draco said, not knowing how Dumbledore would be able to do this.  
  
Dumbledore waved his wand and a window appeared to his left. Terence Higgs was standing in Dumbledore's office. He looked angry.  
  
"I hate him!" Terence half-shouted. "Him and his perfect life, he thinks he's so great because his father's rich! He bought his way into the Slytherin team, everyone knows, giving them all Nimbus 2001s, and he still lost to Harry Potter! I'm a better Seeker than him, I always was, but nooo, Flint took him because he gave him a new broomstick, that no good---"  
  
"Is there anything else?"  
  
"Yeah! Like hell there is! Stupid moron is such a fake! He tells you he'll help and next thing you know the girl of your dreams leaps into his arms just like that! When you question him he just shrugs and tells you it couldn't be helped, Pansy's always liked him---as if he hadn't led her on in the first place! And the guy sucks up to teachers all the time! I used to be Snape's model student before he came along. . .now it's 'Malfoy can do this better, and he's a year younger than all of you'. . .stupid, pathetic little. . ."  
  
The window closed.  
  
Draco knew who Terence was talking about; himself. Well, it really hadn't been his fault he had ended up with Pansy, she had always liked him, it was a fact. . .and he did not suck up to teachers.  
  
"Terence Higgs has been expelled," Dumbledore told both of them. "Naturally. An underhanded joke such as this cannot be tolerated. How is the Mandrake Draught coming along?"  
  
Draco did not answer immediately. That's it? Terence was expelled? Andy was right, I should have made his life a living hell. . .he would be begging on his knees before I'd even finished. . .little hints here and there, about how he was head over heels in love with a Mudblood. . .lost schoolbooks. . ."accidentally" telling everyone about the soft toy he sleeps with, Mr. Snuffles. . .little disgusting things hidden in his bed. . .Hagrid's Horned Bees might do the trick. . .  
  
Draco suddenly realized what he was thinking---he was back! He couldn't believe he had been hanging out with that Mudblood. . .  
  
  
  
  
  
::: Chapter 5 up soon. . . .I hope. I'm still thinking of a suitable ending ::: 


	5. Guess Who's Back?

::: thanks for all the. . .um, 7 reviews. . .well, when I found I had 3 I was jumping with joy. . .so 7 is good too, but it sounds. . .very little. Oh well. Thanks for the reviews, they really make my day :::  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 5---Guess Who's Back?  
  
"I think the Mandrake Draught is coming along very well, Professor," Draco said before excusing himself.  
  
Why'd you tell that old dingbat everything? Now Higgs is expelled and you won't be able to do anything! You just had to be the good kid, didn't you, Draco berated himself.  
  
Upon reaching the Slytherin common room he told Andy everything. "Where's Higgs now?"  
  
"Left. During lunch, according to Adrian," Andy said.  
  
"Damn. That guy almost ruined my reputation.me hanging out with that Mudblood Granger, can you believe it? Embarrassing, not to say disgusting.I cannot believe I did that.and missing her! Can you believe such nonsense?"  
  
"Ah, forget it," Andy said. "No one noticed."  
  
* * *  
  
"Where's Professor Binns?" Hermione asked worriedly.  
  
"He quit, remember?" Ron said disbelievingly.  
  
"He did? Oh," Hermione said.  
  
Ron sighed. Hermione had been very out of it recently. She forgot homework, lost her timetable, didn't go to the library.very un-Hermione, Ron decided. The worst part of it all was he didn't know why she was acting like this.  
  
Ron gave a snort as Draco Malfoy sauntered into the class, a smirk plastered all over his face. He sauntered over towards Ron, Harry and Hermione. Ron was sure Draco had an insult ready.  
  
He was wrong.  
  
Draco's confident look had evaporated when he saw Hermione. Instead of insults, Ron heard a quiet "Hi, Hermione," before Draco walked past them to sit behind Crabbe and Goyle.  
  
Hermione turned pink. Harry choked.  
  
"What was that?" Harry asked.  
  
"Malfoy saying 'hi' to Hermione?" Ron said blankly. "I think he likes her."  
  
Harry laughed so hard he almost fell off his chair. "Malfoy? Like Hermione? Since when?"  
  
"Since he was so nice," Ron said in a disgusted tone. "Urgh, that slime ball. . .what do you think is worse, Malfoy good or bad?"  
  
"Wait a minute---if Malfoy liked Hermione then, why does he still like her now? Unless it's genuine." Harry doubled over, laughing again.  
  
"It is genuine," Hermione sounded rather distressed.  
  
"It is not," Ron said. "Don't tell me you're falling for him again, when he's himself this time---"  
  
"Falling for him again?" Harry interjected.  
  
* * *  
  
"Can I ask you a question?" It wasn't a request. "What the hell were you doing just now?" Andy demanded.  
  
Draco buried his face in his hands. "I don't know." His voice came out muffled.  
  
"I thought you didn't like her."  
  
"So did I," Draco groaned. "Maybe the stupid Draught doesn't cure completely---" he tried without much hope.  
  
"Nope. Face it, pal, you like her," Andy said. "It's obvious."  
  
At that moment a tall, slim lady entered the room. She was fair, with deep blue eyes and long golden hair. Instead of the robes the other teachers usually wore she had donned a long elegant blue almost-white gown. Andy's jaw dropped.  
  
"I am Professor Sharpe," she said. "I will be your new History of Magic professor." Her voice was like a tinkling stream and clear as water. "I am sorry I am late, I was held back by something. Now, where was Professor Binns when he left?" Hermione's hand shot into the air. "Miss Granger?"  
  
Hermione told Professor Sharpe that they were just starting the fifth chapter an that a report was due. Normally Andy would have groaned, "She just had to say that," but, oddly, he did not. Odder still was the distinct mutter Draco heard of Andy saying that he had to redo his report.  
  
Professor Sharpe then proceeded to teach. Draco noted that Andy had been silent the whole lesson, an absolute rarity. Most of the time Draco had to tell Andy to shut the hell up. However, had Andy been talking during the lesson it would not have made any difference---Draco seemed to have trouble concentrating.  
  
When the final bell rang the professor swept out of the classroom. Draco turned to talk to Andy about Hermione again but Andy had a dreamy look on his face. "She's gorgeous," he sighed.  
  
Draco could not get anything out of Andy for a long time.  
  
* * *  
  
Andy can't be right, Draco thought frantically as he paced the fireplace. I can't have fallen for that stupid Mudblood.okay, well, she's not exactly stupid, she must be pretty smart because---good God, what am I thinking? You'll be saying she's not a Mudblood next.  
  
Draco paced the fireplace for a good hour and a half, and then realized he had yet to finish his Charms essay. Draco magicked his half-finished assay to him, and then sat down to finish it. The problem was, his mind kept drifting to Hermione. In the end Draco rubbish on his essay, with the hope that the top part would prevail over his sloppy ending.  
  
The next day Draco woke up early and after breakfast went for Transfiguration. Draco was determined not to think about Hermione, but, as it always is when you are trying not to think about something, Hermione kept popping up in his thoughts.  
  
"Blasted Charms again!" Draco groaned. "My essay's damn crappy."  
  
Draco and Andy rounded the last corner. Crabbe and Goyle were talking about something. Hermione, Harry and Ron were there too, walking down the corridor towards Draco and Andy.  
  
Draco felt a tinge of pink appear on his cheeks as he caught sight of Hermione. "Go b that way, I don't want to meet her."  
  
"Look at Malfoy! He's blushing!" Harry laughed. "I didn't know you had that effect, Hermione." Harry had gotten the full story of Hermione and Draco's little library stints from Ron the day before.  
  
Crabbe and Goyle lumbered up to Hermione.  
  
"Mudblood," Goyle said. "She's a Mudblood, right Crabbe?"  
  
"Right, Goyle," Crabbe said.  
  
Draco leapt in front of the two. "She is not a Mudblood! Plus, who in their right minds would go 'right Crabbe' 'right Goyle'? And you are using my lines. No one uses Draco Malfoy's lines." Draco suddenly realized how stupid he had been. No one---  
  
"No one argues with Crabbe or Goyle," Goyle thundered. "Right, Crabbe?"  
  
"Right, Goyle," Crabbe cracked his knuckles. "Shall we?"  
  
"No, wait!" Draco was frantic. Then his expression changed and he became angry. "Think about it, you big dumb blob! You'll lose points for Slytherin, you dumb oaf! You'll get deten---"  
  
Wham!  
  
Draco's nose was bloody and broken. A very sensitive part of his body was agony. Draco dropped to the ground and a second later he had a black eye and what felt like a broken ribcage. Draco must have blacked out, because the next moment he was opening his eyes in the hospital wing. Andy's concerned face swam into view.  
  
"How are you feeling?" he asked.  
  
Draco grimaced. "I feel like shit," he muttered.  
  
"Goyle bruised your ribcage, I think that was the term Madam Pomfrey used."  
  
"It's gonna hurt for days. Trust me to go against the two guys I trained to be the two not to go against." Draco sighed, and then winced. "Ouch. At least they didn't break anything, the bastards."  
  
"Actually, I think they dislocated your shoulder," Andy said.  
  
"Well, whatever they did, Father's going to have a say in this."  
  
The door to the hospital wing opened and Hermione entered. Andy got up, winked at Draco and left. Draco groaned.  
  
"What are you doing here, Granger?" he drawled.  
  
Hermione did not answer. Instead she asked Draco how he was feeling. Draco gave her about the same answer he had given Andy.  
  
"Thanks for. . .standing up for me," Hermione said.  
  
Draco snorted and immediately wished he hadn't. "Ow. Don't worry, it won't happen again. Liking you has a very high price."  
  
Hermione's heart plummeted. "Then that means. . ."  
  
"Father would have a fit if he found out," Draco continued. "Plus my reputation would go straight down the drain. Damn you Mudbloods. Everything always gets so mucked up with you people around."  
  
A smile tugged at Hermione's lips. "Well, if you'd rather have Pansy Parkinson. . ."  
  
"Absolutely not!" Draco feigned horror. "She's a non-stop chatterbox and she has a brain from Mars. If she even has a brain. I would much rather have you, thank you very much. I can't believe I just said that."  
  
"So you do like me then."  
  
Draco rolled his eyes. "Obviously. To my absolute horror, it had to be you. Not that I mind so much now, but. . ." A thought occurred to Draco then. "Wait a minute. I won't have to hang out with Potty and the Weasel, will I? I can't stand them---"  
  
Draco did not continue. He let himself fall into the sweetest kiss he had ever had in his entire life.  
  
  
  
  
  
::: what do you think of the ending? I spent a lot of time thinking about it, I finally came up with this. Tell me what you think, and please REVIEW! Thanks! 


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